1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a device for handling light objects with one hand only without touching said objects with one's hand, said device comprising one or more suction parts configured for inspiration against a plane face of said object and a gripping means configured for being seized and held with one hand and where a movable piston body comprising a flexible, elastomer body is arranged at the gripper for complete or partial filling and emptying of a void for providing, via one or more connecting passages, a sub atmospheric pressure between the suction parts and the plane face of the object upon abutment and inspiration against the object.
2. Description of the Related Art
Devices of this type are used to seize and handle a variety of objects, such as CDs or CD-ROMs that may suffer damage when handled directly. When handled directly, deposition of dust, saline perspiration and other kinds of pollution may occur from the surface of fingers, which is harmful to many different types of surfaces. It is a particular problem especially in connection with the handling of CDs and CD-ROMs that their removal from ordinary cassettes for storing the discs is extremely difficult due to the gripping means that secure the CDs in their central holes being released only with difficulty which means that the CDs must be twisted or broken loose from the cassette which may have the practical consequence that it is necessary to touch and optionally scratch or soil the surface of the CDs which is both extremely delicate and intolerant of precisely such scratches or soil since this may entail a poor reproduction of the tracks of the CD.
Such devices are known in which the suction elements are resilient whereby a light pressure against a plane face enables them to be firmly inspired there against. It may present a problem when such suction cup is to be let go when the object is to be released and in reality it is not possible to regulate the inspiration pressure. If more separate suction cups are used, complex devices are required to ensure that they let go of the surface simultaneously. In another type of prior art suction cups, a central part of the suction cup can be withdrawn upon abutment against the surface to create the requisite sub atmospheric pressure. In these prior art devices it will be very difficult--and involve an extremely complex construction--to configure the suction cups such that they have, to a very large extent, the shape of the objects to be seized by the relevant device.
Thus, FR patent application No 2750910 discloses a suction device for handling eg CDs, which suction device comprises a plurality of flexible suction cups that are connected via passages to a common ventilation opening. The ventilation opening is located such that the operator can close the opening by use of a finger. Hereby it is possible to press the suction device against the surface of a CD following which the operator closes the opening with his finger and thereby the elastic lips on the suction device will, due to its resilient abutment on the surface of the CD, form a sub atmospheric pressure that secures the CD to the suction device. However, it is a problem of such lifting devices that the CDs often have surfaces with pictures and the like printed thereon which may prevent the lips of the suction device from engaging completely sealingly with an ensuing risk that the CD is dropped after a relatively short time. It is a further problem that the prior art suction cups are to be pressed against the CD while applying a certain amount of force to inspire properly, and this is undesirable, it being most often the case that the CD is to be lifted from a drawer in a CD-player which is relatively fragile and does not readily tolerate a downward pressure.
Prior art document FR patent application No 2750910 further discloses a device which comprises one or more suction parts configured for inspiration against a plane face of the object, and a gripper configured for being seized and secured with one hand only, and where a movable piston body comprising a flexible, elastomer body which is arranged at the gripper for complete or partial filling and emptying of a void for providing, via one or more connecting passages, a sub atmospheric pressure between the suction parts and the plane face of the object upon abutment and inspiration against the object.
In order to release the object, the sub atmospheric pressure must be equalised, and according to the prior art, and this is done by applying further pressure to the piston body. This however is not always enough to equalise the pressure, as the suction parts may have become deformed during the inspiration process, and said deformation may cause a certain sub atmospheric pressure to prevail even when the elastomer body is fully depressed. In this case, the CD is stuck with the device.